Wilmington police have charged 33-year-old Maurice Brown, Sr. in connection with a fatal crash that occurred after he fled from officers during an early-morning traffic stop in September.
Officials said Brown now faces counts of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangering, and disregarding a police officer’s signal, along with charges for a vehicle equipment violation, driving without a valid license, operating a vehicle with a child not properly restrained, and a violation of probation. He was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 20 and ordered held at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $500,000 cash-only bail.
Police previously identified the four-month-old victim who died from injuries sustained in the collision as Maurice Brown, Jr.
The crash followed a vehicle stop on Interstate 95 at approximately 1:16 a.m. on September 16. As officers approached the vehicle, police said the driver, who was wanted for various offenses, fled at a high rate of speed. The vehicle exited the interstate at Marsh Road and continued toward Edgemoor Road, where it left the roadway and struck an off-road area.
Responding officers located four occupants inside the vehicle. The driver was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The four-month-old, who police said had not been restrained, was taken to the hospital and later succumbed to his injuries. A 32-year-old female and a 10-year-old female were also transported in stable condition.
